The invention relates to the use of devices having information or patterns carried in or on some storage media, examples of which include photographic patterns, keys or the magnetic strip on credit cards. The invention provides for an apparatus and method allowing more than one pattern or set of information to be used with a given type of medium to facilitate use by the holder thereof with a pattern reading device and to reduce the numbers of separate information or pattern media carrying devices which must be used. Other uses and purposes for the present invention will also become known to one skilled in the art from the teachings herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention includes the storage and use of information or patterns on or in operator usable medium, examples including credit cards, keys, holograms, photographs and the like, by use of various magnetic, electronic, optical and mechanical devices. Such information or patterns may be known, unknown, ordered or random, coherent or incoherent, there being no restriction on the types or nature of information or patterns with which the invention may be used. The operators may be human, animal or otherwise, and may involve different operators of different persons or types at various times.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to store particular information or patterns such as account numbers, bar codes, security codes, etc. on magnetic and optical storage medium embedded in small, sturdy and relatively inexpensive carriers such as credit cards. FIG. 1 shows for example a prior art credit card diagram having a strip of magnetic material 2 which is embedded in a plastic substrate 1 which magnetic strip carries a pattern of magnetization which is a magnetic representation of information or patterns relating to the credit card. FIG. 1 is shown in graphical form with the top and front edge view of the magnetic strip with a representation of the magnetic flux pattern recorded therein.
The invention described herein provides for a method and apparatus whereby a plurality of sets of patterns or information may be stored and utilized by a user. The invention allows access to numerous accounts, services, features, etc. with just one storage device, thereby eliminating the need to carry, store, remember or retain numerous data storage devices, data sets or patterns. Examples of applications for the present invention include the magnetic pattern information of a plurality of credit cards which may be stored in a single convenient card which a user may carry in order to replace a plurality of individual credit cards, programmable optical patterns such as bar codes or photographic patterns utilized for security applications and programmable key patterns which may be changed to accommodate different locks of mechanical, optical or electronic type.
The invention is useful with any sort of storage medium related to pluralities of sets of information, data or patterns which are desired to be used by a user. For example the invention may be used with mechanical, magnetic, electrical, optical, film, holographic or other recording or storage of information or patterns as will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the teachings given herein. The invention thus provides simulation of multiple sets of data, information or patterns stored in a spatial pattern by providing a memory or storage device for storing data from which the spatial patterns may be reconstructed. Also included is a programmable spatial device capable of reconstructing the spatial patterns under control of a circuit responsive to an external inputs which cause the programmable spatial device to be programmed to reconstruct the spatial patterns from the data stored in the memory. The spatial patterns may take on multiple dimensions and may be time varying and the memory may be electronic, mechanical, optical or other type as will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the teachings herein.